


The Longbow Hunters

by SmoakingGreenArrow



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, arrow 7x02, inspires by bts photos, olicity - Freeform, season 7 speculation, the longbow hunters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-16 22:24:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15447156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmoakingGreenArrow/pseuds/SmoakingGreenArrow
Summary: Based on the set photos from 7x02 and my imagination :)





	1. Chapter 1

“Donna, lover boy is here again,” Felicity’s eyes glanced up at the door as her coworker spoke, seeing the familiar man pull out the chair at his preferred table. “Why do the good tippers always have to sit in your section?” Audrey grumbled as she wiped down the counter top at the bar.

She wouldn’t exactly call the seventeen year old high school student her friend, but Felicity definitely enjoyed her shifts when Audrey was working more than any of the other employees at the coffee shop. “Thank you,” she answered, wiping her hands on her apron and heading for the table.

“Hey Ben,” Felicity greeted him, getting his attention as he looked over the menu. She fought not to roll her eyes. He came in three times a week and ordered the same thing, yet he always looked at the menu as if he was even considering trying something new.

“Hi Donna,” he smiled up at her, “black coffee and one of those cranberry orange muffins?”

Felicity nodded, not bothering to write it down. “I’ll be right back with that,” she winked, watching his cheeks flush pink.

First, she put his muffin in the warmer, sticking some butter in the middle so it melted just the way he liked it. And then she dodged into the break room, pulling out her tablet and executing her virus that hacked the cafe’s wifi.

Once she was sure that the download was running, she stuffed her tablet into her bag and shut her locker.

Coming back out, she quickly put the muffin on a plate, carrying it in one hand and taking a mug from the rack in the other. Felicity danced around Audrey, getting the coffee pot sitting on the burners above them. “You need to ask that guy out!” Audrey hissed in a hushed tone, snapping the towel in her hand at Felicity’s ass.

Felicity dodged it, her hands full as she rolled her eyes dramatically and headed for her section.

By the time she was back in the dining room, Ben had his laptop open, his fingers on the keys and his eyebrows furrowed with concentration. But he looked up when she approached. Felicity smiled, feeling his eyes on her as she put his mug down and poured the coffee.

“How’s it going today?” She asked sweetly, careful to keep the tone of her voice light; polite but not pushy. “Getting a lot of work done?”

Ben nodded, picking up the coffee mug and taking a sip. She held in her sigh as he flinched, putting the mug back down to let it cool.

Really, how many times did one grown man need to burn his tongue on hot coffee before he learned?

She had no idea. But she’d watched him do it at least eight times.

“I was actually hoping you were working today.”

“I’m here almost every night, Ben." Her voice was annoyingly chipper, but the irritation behind it was noticeable, even to her own ears. She pinched her lips together, glad that he merely nodded along.

Her main goal was to keep him in the coffee shop for as long as possible. And to make sure he kept coming back. Being a jerk to him wouldn’t accomplish that.

“Well...I was wondering if maybe you’d want to take tomorrow night off?”

“Why?” She blurted, blinking at him with wide eyes.

“I have a reservation at Tipitina’s,” Ben shrugged, “do you want to come with me?”

Felicity hesitated, wondering why he’d make a reservation  _before_ he asked her out. She forced a smile, her heart speeding up a little bit, her mind immediately jumping to Oliver. “I have to work,” she rolled her eyes, “student loans and all that.”

In reality, owning Palmer Tech had taken care of her bills. But here she was, pretending to be a waitress and putting pink extensions in her hair.

It wasn’t that she didn’t respect the job. Her mother was the hardest working person she knew. But Felicity had also worked very hard to create a career she was proud of. One she loved.

And a coffee shop was not where she belonged.

“Okay,” he shrugged, “well...I’d really like to take you out sometime, Donna.” Ben hesitated, giving her a moment to jump in and agree, but she stayed quiet. “If you would want to...I mean, if you were interested in that...”

In his embarrassment, Felicity found herself nodding. “I’ll let you know when I can get a night off,” she smiled, pleased with herself for the casual blow off. She couldn’t say 'no' and risk Ben never coming back. If he stopped showing up because she rejected him, it'd be impossible to get what she needed. As long as he continued to work where he could connect to the wifi...she could download everything from his research.

After a slightly awkward silence, Felicity excused herself to check on other customers. And she mostly left Ben alone. But her eyes constantly drifted to him for the last two hours of her shift.

She was intrigued by how intent he always was. She could talk to him when he first came in, but once he got to work, he was a man possessed. Felicity would refill his coffee, but he’d stop seeing or hearing her after a while. His muffin would be wasted a few bites in, forgotten on the table beside him.

Ben's eyes never left the laptop screen as he shifted in his chair, mouthing things to himself while he worked.

And Audrey was right. He was a very good tipper. Once closing time rolled around, he would come out of his trance and apologize for basically ignoring her all night. Then he’d thank her, pack up his things, and leave her a generous tip for dealing with him.

He was always the last one out. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Ben was making progress, which meant that  _she_ was making progress. And Felicity was eager to get home and see what he’d found.

She cleaned the cafe as quickly as she could, sweeping the floors and scrubbing the tables while Audrey washed the windows and wiped down the machines. When they were done, she hurried to her locker and collected her things, waving to Audrey as she left. “See you tomorrow,” she said.

Audrey smiled as she finished counting the cash in the register. “Bye Donna, enjoy the rest of your night.”

The coffee shop closed at 10:00, and she got out at 11:00 if she was lucky, so there wasn’t much of a night left to enjoy by the time she got home. 

Coming back smelling like coffee had grown tiresome and she always wanted a shower as soon as walked through the door. Although William still got a kick out of it.

Luckily it was Saturday, which meant she didn’t have any lessons planned for William’s home schooling, and they both got to sleep in. Ben’s research would probably take her hours to sift though, so she was glad she didn’t have to open the cafe in the morning.

The safe house was dark when she pulled into the driveway, but William left the porch light on for her. 

As she entered the house, she looked into the living room, expecting to see Paul and David, the agents assigned to watch over them.

Usually Paul stayed up to watch a muted television while he waited for her to get back. Any later than 11:05 and Paul would be taking a ride around the neighborhood to look for her. She'd learned that the hard way. On the other hand, David was usually asleep. Five months of protecting a woman and young boy who didn't _seem_ to have targets on their backs got boring, apparently.

Ricardo Diaz was biding his time, making sure they wouldn't be expecting an attack. No matter what John, Lyla, A.R.G.U.S, or the F.B.I told her; that he was gone, underground, hiding...it didn't make a difference. He would be back. She knew it in her bones.

Paul and David weren't in their expected places on the couch, the television off and the room dark. 

Felicity frowned, closing the door silently and gripping her purse a little tighter.

Just as she was making her way down the hallway and towards the staircase, John appeared at the top, and Felicity gasped in surprise, her hand darting up to her mouth. 

Diggle raised his hands in surrender as he came down the steps, “just me,” he whispered, “William’s asleep. Homework has been completed. Video games have been played. Dinner has been devoured...remind to come over and feed that kid an edible meal more often.”

Felicity smacked his arm, “what are you doing here? You scared the crap out of me!” She said, putting her hand on her chest in an attempt to get her heart to slow down. “Where’s Paul and David?”

“I gave them the night off. We need to talk.”

“Fine,” she stiffened, suspecting that it had something to do with Oliver. 

John always offered to take her with him when he visited her husband. And she always declined. She was glad that they’d been able to safely transport William to Slabside a couple times for monitored visits with his father. But she’d continued to say no, always giving a lame excuse as to why it was a bad day. 

And then five months had gone by.

It was easy to be upset with Oliver for the choice he made. For the choice he continued to make. But it was  _hard_ to wonder how it was making him feel that she had yet to show up. And that made her heart break a little more each time she turned down Diggle’s offers. Every time, she wanted to say yes, to give in, but she knew that she was too angry and he was too guilty for anything good to come out of it. Even still.

Felicity could also tell that Oliver was the one pushing John to ask. It was clear that Dig wasn’t the one pleading with her to come, but he did his best to stay neutral. “We can talk tomorrow.” She sighed, not having it in her to think about seeing Oliver, to let herself fantasize about being with him again, only to let the distance he'd created and her own resentment get in the way at the end of the day. “I’m really tired.”

Dig raised an eyebrow, “oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” she clipped, brushing by him, “I’ll call you tomorrow. We can talk then.”

John caught her arm, “Felicity...” he shook his head, because both of them knew she wouldn’t call. “What have you been doing?”

“Working,” she snapped back. “Why? Does the stench of coffee beans and the flour stains not make it clear enough where I’ve been?” Part of the reason she actually  _liked_ her job was because it gave her time for herself, away from the protective custody and eyes on her. She’d applied for the job so that she could put a hook on Ben, but she enjoyed it because she didn’t have to answer questions like  _where have you been_  and  _what have you been doing_  all the time.

“I understand that you’re angry,” Diggle whispered, holding her gaze. “I get that it hurts. Oliver never should have made this decision without including you. I know that.  _He_ knows that.”

“Is this where you tell me how sorry he is and say I should go talk to him? Because I think we’ve been over that enough.” She glared up at John, wondering if he knew how close she was to breaking, how she had to fight with herself every day not to go see her husband.

Nothing had alleviated her anger yet, it was still so restless inside of her. But she’d be lying if she said that she was staying away for righteous reasons. It was her own pride and indignation. That...and she knew that she was punishing him, getting back the control he’d taken away from her, removing herself from his life without so much as a heads up. Just like he'd done to her.

It wasn’t that she believed she was being unfair. He deserved it. But it didn’t feel like  _her_. Hurting Oliver out of spite wasn’t who she was, and the more time that passed, the more she swayed.

“No,” John shook his head. “I think if you need more time, then you should take it.”

Felicity stared at him for a long moment. Any time they talked about Oliver, it felt like she was being torn apart. One part of her wanted to cry, to let herself break down because he wasn’t there. And another part of her wanted to scream, to forget she'd ever fallen in love with him. Most of her though, just wished she could go back and fix it; stop him before he made that ridiculous deal with Watson and convince to find a better way.

But Oliver didn't give her that chance. Oliver  _left_. 

The thought of him abandoning them was hard to shake. Even if Oliver’s decisions weren’t as black and white as her own father’s had been, the pain still felt the same...the emptiness was way too familiar. So what was the point in making excuses?

“It’s you I’m worried about, Felicity. We need to talk...tonight.”

She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Go ahead,” she raised her eyebrows, not wanting to sit down for this. Standing by the door meant she could keep it quick. She wanted Dig out as soon as he said whatever he had to say.

“Watson asked me for a meeting today.”

“Really?” She asked, pushing her shoulders back.

Agent Samanda Watson was the second most uncomfortable subject between them. Right behind Oliver. 

“Yeah,” John nodded, “she’s been trying to track down The Longbow Hunters...said she’s had someone under surveillance for three weeks.”

“One of the hunters?” Felicity breathed, her voice hitching with a bit too much excitement.

Dig’s eyes narrowed, “no. A man by the name of Ben Ballard. Watson says that Ballard has been researching The Longbow Hunters since he was fifteen.”

Felicity's eyebrows furrowed. She'd never known how long Ben's work had been going on, or even the reason behind his motivation. It wasn't like she could ask. “Why?” She mumbled, her eyes glancing away from John.

The question had been on her mind ever since she found Ben, but it hadn’t been as important as his work. Frankly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know why a seemingly normal guy would dedicate his life to stalking cold blooded assassins.

It surprised her that he’d been at it since he was fifteen, though. If he'd been on their tail for that long and hadn’t found them yet...she shook her head, trying to keep her faith. “Well,” John stared down at her, “I guess his mother was killed by one of the hunters when Ben was only six years old.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, and Watson has reason to believe that the hunter who killed her...is also Ben Ballard’s father.”

Felicity’s eyebrows shot up, "does he know that?" When John's eyes narrowed at her further, she gaped, “I mean...that’s...screwed up.”

“When was the last time you saw Ben?”

“What?” Felicity asked, her eyes snapping up to John as her heart dropped into her stomach.

“One of the details Watson shared with me is that Ballard frequents a coffee shop just a few blocks down from here.” She bit her lip as John’s eyes watched her disapprovingly. “I knew there was no way your sudden interest in getting a job was a innocent. You've been working with him.”

A long silence passed between them. One where Diggle glared at her like a disapproving father and Felicity stared down at her feet like a scolded teenager. “All I’ve done is given myself access to his research.” She mumbled. “So that I can know what he knows. He has no idea who I am or that there's any connection.”

John sighed around her answer, scrubbing his hand over his face. “Felicity...”

“He’s close, John. Ben is  _so_ close to finding them. I can feel it. And I tried to do it myself, but I couldn't find even one string to pull. Ben has been unraveling them for a _decade_. He knows where to look...places that I wouldn’t have ever thought of. And I think he almost has them.”

More silence. The look on John’s face was one of understanding, though. They both knew that she’d gone through all this trouble in order to keep them safe. Whether he believed Diaz would come or not, it was almost a guarantee that finding The Longbow Hunters would mean finding The Dragon.

“Does Watson know?” She whispered, letting out a deep sigh.

Diggle shook his head. “She will soon. It won't take her long to figure out that you're the Donna working at the cafe, and then she'll expect you to comply, Felicity.”

“I’m not giving her anything.”

John let out a long, tired breath, closing his eyes. “I thought you might say that...Felicity, it's time.”

The heavy look in his eyes made her heart beat a little faster, fear rising in her throat. "Time for what?"

"Time to fix all of this," he nodded once, "time to put Diaz in a cage for good."

"How do we do that?" She breathed, the slightest bit of hope filling her chest that John was ready. _Finally_ ready to work with her.

"Well...I brought backup."

He nodded over her shoulder, and Felicity stared at him for a long moment, afraid of what, or who, was behind her. John seemed relaxed, so she wasn't expecting Carrie Cutter or any of the unpredictable lackeys on the Suicide Squad.

But she didn't have to turn around to know.

God, she could _feel_ him.

After a long moment, she glanced over her shoulder, watching as Oliver stood in the hallway, uncomfortable and out of place as he toed the doorway of the kitchen.

Her breath caught in her throat, hot tears immediately prickling to her eyes. He wore a simple pair of jeans and a black t-shirt that she knew weren’t his. The beard was off putting. And his hair was shorter.

But most of her attention landed on the scars, the remnants of fights he’d clearly been getting into in prison.

And he looked sad, his fingers twitching like he wanted to reach out for her. Oliver's eyes met hers, "Hi, Felicity."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your kind words on the last chapter! And prepare yourselves for alllll the angst

His wife was angry. He could hear it in her voice before he even saw her. Before she realized that he was there. And he knew his presence would only piss her off more.

But he hoped she’d be happy to see him, too. At least a little bit.

When Oliver stepped around the corner, she was arguing with John. Those two hardly ever fought. Usually it was Dig and Felicity who were in agreement, while Oliver took a bit more convincing to get on the same page. 

Felicity stiffened when she felt him behind her, and for the first time in a long time, he had no idea how she was feeling. What she would say. When he spoke, she inhaled sharply at the sound of his voice, staring at him like she wasn’t sure whether or not he was real. “Why?” She asked with a rush of stunned air.

“John told me that you were in trouble.”

Felicity laughed without humor, “I’ve been in trouble for five months, Oliver. Diaz is still out there and for some screwed up reason, no one seems to think that he’ll be coming after us!”

“Felicity,” John tried this time, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Trust me, no one wants to catch that son of a bitch more than I do. But he hasn’t been seen since Black Siren screamed him off that roof. We don’t even know if he’s alive.”

“He’s alive,” she seethed, “you think a person that insane would drown in a river? That he’d let himself go out like that?”

“Okay,” Oliver mumbled, moving closer to her, “I’m on your side, Felicity.”

Her eyes darted to him, warning him not to take another step, and he froze. She turned her attention back to John, “Ben knows how to find the Longbow Hunters. If we find them, we find Diaz.”

Oliver looked away from her, the guilt clear on his face. “So, we just wait until his research leads us to them?” He asked, having gotten enough information from John to know a bit about who this Ben guy was.

“I’m sorry,” Felicity snapped, shifting in his direction, “what part of any plan are _you_ capable of helping with? How long before Watson knows you busted out of prison? This’ll be the first place she looks. Shouldn’t you be on your way to Mexico right about now?”

“I’m staying,” he answered simply, blinking. If she thought he’d break out of prison and go _anywhere_ besides to her door...he didn’t know how else to respond.

“Fine, suit yourself. As if a life sentence wasn’t long enough. Maybe you should call my dad, Oliver. I’m sure he can give you a few pointers on how to run from the law.”

Oliver stared at her, taking in the raw anger rolling off her, the rage in her eyes. “That’s fair,” he mumbled, nodding as he accepted her words. Comparing him to the man who had hurt her the most was a tough pill to swallow, and it made him anxious to know that her head had gone there. He hadn’t once thought of his choice as _abandoning_ her and William. But it terrified him that _she_ was looking at it that way.

John sighed, “Lyla had A.R.G.U.S erase all the footage from the breakout. And she paid off the prison guards to keep their mouths shut. We have time. Samanda Watson won’t know a damn thing. At least for the next few days.”

Guilt flashed in Felicity’s eyes, but he had no idea what she had to feel guilty about. “Oh,” she whispered, and Oliver watched her, trying to get some kind of sense of where they stood. It reminded him of the first few years they’d known each other. Always dancing around each other. But that wasn’t _them_ anymore.

After five months of radio silence, and seeing how furious she still was, he felt panic twist his stomach into knots. He couldn’t imagine losing her, but he truly had no idea if he was about to.

His wife’s eyes flickered away from him, as if she couldn’t even look at him, and he hung his head as John asked “what’s the plan?”

He could tell that they were both waiting for him to speak, to give some kind of order. But he nodded towards Felicity, keeping his eyes on hers for as long as she would look at him. “I’m following you, honey,” he whispered, “anywhere.”

After a moment, Felicity sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and nodded, her eyes softening with the faintest smile shadowing her expression.

It was  _enough_ , and Oliver’s heart raced a little faster with the hope of forgiveness.

“Ben looked like he was onto something tonight,” she answered lowly, “I need some time to find out what that is.”

While John shrugged knowingly, heading toward the living room to give her space to work, Oliver hesitated. Felicity cleared her throat, moving into the kitchen and plugging her laptop in at the counter.

He was slow to follow, but he did. She glanced up as Oliver stepped into the kitchen, his hands shoved in his pockets as he half expected her to kick him out. “Do you want some company?” He asked quietly.

“Sure…” she exhaled.

Oliver hovered near the chair beside her for a moment before deciding to pull it out and take a seat. He glanced around the kitchen as her screen flooded with all of Ben’s browsing history from the coffee shop. “This is a beautiful home,” he started, wanting to fill the silence with _anything_.

It wasn’t comfortable, not like it usually was.

There was an air of tension that he wished didn’t exist. “It reminds me of-” Oliver pinched his lips together quickly, stopping himself.

Of course, she caught on.

She looked over at him, straightening her shoulders. “Our house in Ivy Town.” Felicity nodded once, her lips forming a hard line. “Trust me, I know.”

He remembered their last moment together, at the precinct before he’d been carted to Slabside. How he could barely look at her, too much guilt in his stomach to see the pain he was causing her. “I’m sorry, Felicity,” he offered now, looking right into her eyes and accepting whatever she had.

Oliver didn’t blame her for not wanting to see him. He just wanted to know if he could _fix it_.

The answer was looking grim though, as he watched her brows draw together, giving him the tiniest shake of her head as if to say ‘not good enough.’

And Oliver had to bite his tongue when she turned back to her screen, stopping himself from asking her what he needed to do. Because he’d do anything. But he had a feeling this wasn’t the time for that conversation.

Instead, he focused his attention where hers was; on the problem. On the thing they could both control.

Her fingers danced across the keys as she took in all the information, skimming through it quickly. And he loved to watch her work, realizing how much he’d missed her passion, her drive, and the crinkly thing she did with her forehead when she was focused.

It was an adorable expression on her face. One that he’d missed.

In the middle of talking to herself, Felicity’s eyes widened suddenly, a squeaky “oh!” coming out in a yelp.

Oliver’s eyes moved to the screen she was looking at, seeing some kind of conversation between Ben and one of his friends.

_-You just have to ask her out, dude._

_-She’s so out of my league, I don’t even know what sport we’d be playing._

_-Ask her to dinner. Just do it you pussy._

_-Fine. Do you think she’d say yes to Tipitina’s?_

_-Bitches love fancy restaurants. Tippy’s is great. Let me know the verdict._

Oliver read through the conversation quickly, his face inches from Felicity’s as he leaned in.

She deleted the thread without a word, moving on to the next thing, which happened to be a google search for “how to ask out your waitress.”

Slowly, he turned to look at his wife, who huffed with annoyance and closed that screen as well. “Felicity,” he said cautiously, keeping his eyes on the side of her face. “Does this guy have a thing for you?”

“I guess,” she shrugged, “he asked me out. To that Tipitina's place.”

Oliver froze, feeling something hectic and jealous rising in his throat. He didn’t stop long enough to think before he blurted, “what’d you say?”

She turned to look at him slowly, lifting her chin as she stared up at him. Felicity shifted her body, brushing against him where he had his arm on the back of her chair. “Are you serious?”

Oliver shook his head, knowing that it was a stupid question and not wanting to take steps in the wrong direction when they were already struggling to find their pace together. She narrowed her eyes at him before turning back to her screen. “Tipitina’s is across the street from The Hope Springs Motel.”

Oliver blinked as she refocused on the job. “What does that mean?”

“Ben’s made reservations there a few times in the months that I’ve known him,” she muttered. “I just thought he was...you know...using it for other things.”

Felicity shuddered dramatically, and Oliver smiled, finding it impossible not to. “So...you think he could be using the restaurant and motel to spy on one of the hunters?” Oliver proposed.

Nodding, Felicity looked back at him, “something must have brought him to Hope Springs. Maybe this is it.”

Oliver just nodded, glancing at her face and realizing how close he still was. His gaze instinctively dropped to her mouth. God, he missed kissing her. He missed how she tasted, and he licked his lips instinctively, forcing his eyes back up to hers.

His thoughts might have been written all over his face, but she was the one who leaned closer. He swore she did. And he swore that the sexual tension sparking to life wasn’t being felt by only him.

She was furious in one moment and looking at him like that in the next.

And he was going to take whatever he could get. Whatever she wanted to give him, he could work with. As long as she was there. As long as she _stayed_.

Oliver leaned in further, brushing his fingers over her shoulder and up her neck. Her eyes were the same gorgeous color that had filled his dreams for five months.

The smell of coffee emanating from her hair was new, but not at all unpleasant. He picked up a piece of her pink-dyed strands. “I like this,” he grumbled, brushing the rest of her hair over her shoulder, smoothing it down her back. Touching her slowly, half afraid she’d stop him at any moment, Oliver brought his hand up to cup the back of her neck.

Felicity’s eyes flickered shut as she trembled, her breath coming out quick and shallow as she leaned even closer, her nose just barely grazing his.

“I love you,” he told her honestly, “ _so_ much.”

She nodded, opening her eyes to look into his. And in that moment, he knew that he still stood a chance. That she wasn’t going to give up any easier than he was, even if she wasn’t ready to talk to him yet. The passion he knew so well stared back at him in her eyes.

“Any leads?” John’s voice broke the tension as he came around the corner, successfully crushing Oliver’s hope of hearing her say she loved him back. “Oh, sorry” Dig said in the same moment that Felicity jerked back, and he quickly loosened his grip on her head, letting her go.

“Tipitina’s!” she exclaimed, pulling away from Oliver and turning her screen for John to see. “Um, we think Ben might be watching one of the hunters from here.”

“So, Oliver and I can wait until Ben goes...see what he’s up to.”

“Oliver’s not going anywhere,” Felicity answered, her hand instinctively finding his leg and latching on. But she removed it just as quickly, “I mean, if he’s still supposed to be locked up, then we don’t need to risk someone seeing him. He needs to stay here. I’ll go. It makes more sense, anyway. Maybe I can get Ben to actually _tell_ me more about what he knows. I’m sure his research is only half the story.”

Oliver stiffened, knowing exactly where she was going with this.

“How?” John asked. “If Ben sees you at the restaurant where he’s stalking his mother’s killer, he’s going to get suspicious. From what Watson said, he’s one paranoid dude, Felicity.”

“He won’t be paranoid if he’s the one who brings me.”

John just stared at her while Oliver looked away, having enough sense not to fight her on it. “He asked me to go to Tipitina’s on a date. All we have to do is wait until he comes back to the cafe, I’ll tell him I want to go, and then we’re in.”

John and Oliver shared a look, both of them pausing. But at least as far as Oliver was concerned, his hesitation had nothing to do with the plan and everything to do with his wife going on a date with another man.

After hashing out a few details, including getting their hands on a car where Oliver and John could wait near the restaurant, Dig left around 2:00 AM for the long drive home.

Once the door closed behind him, Felicity moved into the living room, plopping herself down on the couch with a sigh. And Oliver hesitated in the doorway again. “You look like you don’t know whether you want to stay or go, Oliver.” Felicity mumbled under her breath, looking away from him.

Oliver shook his head, coming into the darkened room and sitting down next to her. If she was afraid of him leaving, then he had no problem convincing her that he wasn’t going anywhere. “I want to be here, Felicity,” he whispered, reaching for her hand. He watched her face as his pinky skimmed over the back of her hand, her eyes closing around a deep breath.

“Oliver…” she sighed, her head lulling towards him. She opened her eyes, blinking up at him. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you,” he slid his hand up to her cheek. Carefully, he ran his thumbs over the dark circles under her eyes, wiping the tears that started to fall. “Baby, please tell me that we can fix this.” Oliver felt his chest tightening as she stared at him, her expression blank, “I don’t want to lose you, and I know that I screwed up. I was an idiot and I was wrong and I...I just need to know that we can handle this. All I need is for you to tell me where I stand, Felicity. I haven’t seen you in five months. I haven’t touched you, or spoken to you...I want to know what you’re thinking-I-I mean...I’ll do anything to make this up to you, Felicity. Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

“Oliver...we’re here because of _your_ choices. The choices that you didn’t bother to include me in. So you don’t get to just put your hands up and leave it all on my shoulders now.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.” He answered lowly. She rolled her eyes, starting to pull back, and he caught her chin, holding her gaze. “Hey,” he said sternly. “That is _not_ what I’m doing.”

“You sent yourself to prison...and I can’t help but wonder why you would choose that. Why you would _choose_ to be away from me. And William. The man that I married...he wouldn’t let _anything_ stand between him and his family. So...I can’t help but wonder...what changed?”

“I want _you_ , Felicity. I love you. You’re everything I need. Nothing about _that_ has ever changed, and it never will.” He spoke slowly, making sure she believed every word.

“Then why did you do it?”

Oliver let out a sharp breath when he heard the pain in her voice, wishing he hadn’t caused it and knowing he’d never feel okay with the fact that he did. “Felicity, there are people I’ve hurt, people I’ve _killed_ , that I have to pay for. I have done things that you can’t absolve me of. No one can.”

“Are we back to that, Oliver? Are we back to the man who plans to die alone in some dark basement?” He heard her sob as she spoke, and he leaned closer, shaking his head as he slid closer in an attempt to soothe. “I can’t lose you like that, Oliver. It’s different now. You’re my husband. We have a family. Please tell me that you still want _more_ out of life than _that_.”

“I do,” he promised in a whisper, pressing his forehead to hers, relieved when she let him. “Someday, I want all of this to be over. I want to feel like the work I’ve done as the Green Arrow outweighs the trouble I’ve caused. The burdens and grief I’ve left people with. But after losing the team, it just felt like all those years of destruction had caught up to me. Like everything I’d done to make it right...just didn’t matter. I worked so hard to be a hero, a leader...and everyone left.”

“ _I_ didn’t, Oliver,” her voice broke as she pulled her head back, pushing his hands away from her face. “I stayed. I was there. And then you just _blindsided_ me.” She fought to keep her voice even, blinking as the tears flowed. "You were just gone without even telling me. There one day and gone the next just like-" She let out a huff of air, shaking her head. 

"I'm not like your dad, Felicity." He stayed quiet for a long moment, shouldering the pain that was so raw in her voice, the flicker of doubt in her eyes. He took it in, accepting the truth of it, however she saw things. “You have a right to be angry at me, but please don't convince yourself that I'm like him, that what he did to you and what I _tried_ to do _for_ you are the same. I thought I was protecting you, even if I was wrong. But Felicity...you and William...you saved the only part of me that’s worth saving. Wherever you are, is where I want to be. Okay?”

“Then why did you leave?” She stressed.

“I thought it was the right thing, Felicity. And then...when I realized it wasn’t, I thought I deserved to be punished. For all of it. The team, how I hurt you, every bad thing I’ve ever done. I...Felicity, I’m a killer. Even when I tried not to be...even when I let myself believe that I could do better...none of that erases the lives I’ve taken or the pain I’ve caused. And maybe I thought I deserved to be in prison.”

Felicity’s hands reached his jaw, her fingers scraping through his beard as she sighed, and he shivered under her touch. “You don’t need punishment, Oliver,” she whispered. “You need redemption.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the last chapter. Always makes me sad! But luckily this got a bit longer than I’d intended. Also, keep an eye out for a story I’ll be posting soon called Holding On and Letting Go, which will be a one-shot that can also read as an epilogue within this ‘verse :)

It hardly ever rained in Hope Springs. So when it did, it came in buckets. Her shift was ending soon, and she didn’t want to step outside. Felicity frowned as she looked out of the window, wondering if it would clear up in the next hour. 

Oliver had sent them to the most pleasant place in the country. The weather was always sunny and seventy five. The breeze was a constant source of fresh ocean air and relaxation.

Surely, he hadn’t sent her there knowing that she’d stumble onto a Longbow Hunter. He’d picked one of the safest places in the country. A town with a small community where nothing bad happened. Yet, she’d found a connection to one of the few people who knew where Ricardo Diaz had drifted. 

Finding Ben in Hope Springs had been a complete stroke of luck. But it highly convinced her that some things just happened for a reason.

Felicity made her way back to Ben’s table, surprised when he glanced up at her in the middle of some intense typing. “Hey Donna,” he offered with a shy smile.

Smiling back, she refilled his coffee cup. “Hi there,” Felicity gestured to the window. “Pretty awful Monday, huh?”

Ben chuckled, “to be honest, it gave me a reason to stay inside all day and work. Otherwise the waves would have been a major distraction.”

She cocked her head to the side, narrowing her eyes at him playfully. “You surf?”

He laughed some more, “I know, I know. I hardly look like the type. But yes. Every chance I get. And living here has made those opportunities incredibly vast,” he grinned crookedly, an arrogant and easygoing expression she never would have equated with the anxious and serious man that always sat at her table. “Which makes it pretty hard when you have a lot of work to get done.”

If she wanted any of these plans to move forward, she had to get the ball rolling. Felicity swallowed the knot in her throat, “I don’t think you’ve ever told me what you do for work,” she offered lightly.

He looked up at her, and she could see the flash of paranoia that Dig had mentioned. But his features smoothed a moment later, “Mostly research,” he answered honestly, his hand coming up from his lap to fidget with his coffee. “I guess you could call me a bit of a historian.”

“Oh,” Felicity breathed, nodding along. “Well...that sounds really interesting. Uh...” She scratched her fingers through her hair, thanking the gods that made a man like Oliver Queen fall in love with her. He was passion on a stick. All intensity with very little need for small talk. In fact, she couldn’t remember a time when she and Oliver had ever discussed the weather or their professions. It’d always been deeper. An instant connection.

She was glad they’d never danced around the awkward stages of dating. Besides that first date, of course. But even that had quickly shifted from nervous banter to heartfelt declarations.

“Maybe you could tell me more about it,” Felicity said quickly, watching him stiffen. “If that offer for dinner at Tipitina’s is still open? I drive by that restaurant all the time, and I’ve been thinking that I really want to go...if you’re still up for it.”

Ben’s eyes widened, “really? I-yeah. Yeah. Tomorrow night?”

She let out a sharp breath, “tomorrow? Don’t we need reservations?”

“Uh, well, yeah. I have one.” When she stared at him, he cleared his throat, “I mean, I know the owner. I don’t have a reservation. But I can get in. Unless tomorrow is too soon?”

“No,” she shook her head, forcing a smile. “Tomorrow sounds great.”

“Okay. I’ll have him get us a table for 8:00?” She nodded, keeping the smile plastered in place as she seriously doubted that Ben really knew the owner. Did he have a standing reservation or something? So he could stalk the hunter that killed his mother? 

_Yikes._

“Great,” Ben smiled. “I could pick you up,”

“Could we meet there? I’m a little weird about first dates,” she rolled her eyes, “bad experiences with lacrosse players in college.” 

Felicity scrunched up her nose, and Ben nodded. “Okay. No problem,” he said with ease, sounding like the nonthreatening, normal guy she’d come to somewhat know. “I’ll meet you there, then.”

After finishing his coffee and leaving another generous tip, Ben left with a sweet smile and a shy “see you tomorrow, Donna.”

As soon as the door closed behind him, Audrey was hovering over her shoulder. “See you tomorrow?” She frowned, “tomorrow’s Tuesday. Ben never comes in on Tuesdays.”

“Not here,” Felicity sighed.

“Oh,” Audrey’s eyebrows furrowed as she finished loading the dishwasher. Then she gasped, her eyes widening, her head snapping up to look at Felicity. Her long brown hair swung dramatically in its ponytail. “You’re going out with him!?” She squealed like the teenage girl that she was, yet it made Felicity smile. “Oh em  _gee_ ,” Audrey bounced in excitement, “you finally said yes!? Oh, Donna! You probably made that poor guy’s entire year! What are you going to wear? I mean, you seem like you have great style. Not that I’ve seen you in anything besides these dumb t-shirts and jeans, but I feel like you know your way around a shopping spree. Where is he taking you? Somewhere fancy or more casual or-”

“Wow,” Felicity breathed, hooking her hands on her hips as she observed Audrey’s spiral. “Is this what it’s like listening to me babble? God, Oliver’s a total sucker.”

“Oliver?”

Felicity snapped her lips shut, her heart hammering in her chest as soon as she realized her fumble. She’d built a careful persona for months. Saying yes to Ben and having Oliver under her roof was too much change at once, making her brain short circuit. And she slipped. 

Oliver Queen’s name was all over the news. And her real name along with it. Their faces. Even if Star City was on the other side of the country, people could still recognize her if she gave them the details to make the connection. “My brother!” Felicity blurted, to which Audrey nodded slowly. “Oliver. He always says I babble too much.”

“Okay...well I hope you have a good time with Ben tomorrow. You’ll have to tell me all about it.”

Returning Audrey’s genuine smile and kindness was easy. “Sure.”

“You can head out,” Audrey shrugged. “I just have to count the money and then I’ll be out of here.”

“You sure?” Felicity asked, instinctively reaching for her coat already. Audrey rolled her eyes as she nodded, waving her hand around in dismissal. “Thank you!” Felicity grinned. She was excited to get home. More so than any other night. Because Oliver would be there.

Well, as long as he didn’t disappear on her, he’d be there.

Just as she was pushing through the door, a large hooded body blocked her, coming in from the rain. “ _Oh!_ ” Felicity yelped, backing up to make room. He pulled the hood of his raincoat down, revealing an unfamiliar amount of facial hair but the familiar, wonderful eyes she’d always know. “Oliver,” Felicity sighed.

He smiled. “Hi.”

“What are you doing here? How’d you get here?”

“This storm is crazy. I was worried about you driving home.”

“Home is five blocks from here.”

“Which made it a nice walk. Are you ready? Come on, I’ll drive you.”

Felicity bit her lip as she looked up at him. “You’re soaking wet.”

He smiled down at her, surely recognizing the expression on her face. The man that walked five blocks in a storm just so he could drive her home. That was exactly the kind of passion, commitment, and love that had made her fall in love with Oliver Queen in the first place. 

She knew he was doing it out of genuine concern, but  _damn_ him for melting her heart, warming it up to him just a little bit more.

Without thinking, Felicity brought her hand up to his face, gently stroking the backs of her fingers through his beard, appreciating the array of colors in it she never would have guessed. Oliver closed his eyes around a deep breath, leaning into her touch as he took a small step towards her. She smiled at his response to her, “I’m not use to seeing you with a beard.” Felicity whispered.

Oliver’s eyes opened slowly, catching her hand and turning it over so he could press her palm against his cheek. “I can-I can shave it. I meant to, I just haven’t gotten around to it. If you don’t like it, I...uh, I can shave.”

Pinching her lips together, Felicity shook her head. Because  _damn_ him for melting her heart. Just a little bit more. “I like it,” she whispered, her eyes glancing down at to his lips. She couldn’t help but wonder if kissing him would feel different,  _rougher_ because of the beard...she imagined that it would.

Her eyes moved back up to his, and he stared as if he knew her thoughts.

 

* * *

 

“Uh...” Audrey’s voice broke through the moment, making Felicity jump and Oliver tighten his grip on her shoulder, his eyes flying up to the counter to look at her coworker. “Donna,  _this_ is Oliver?” The incredulous look on her face said it all. And Felicity closed her eyes, kicking herself for two minutes prior. Audrey looked horrified, “your  _brother_?”  _Your brother that you were totally about to kiss?_  Audrey was polite enough not to say.

“My parents adopted him when I was a teenager.” Felicity breathed, completely in the dark as to what she was even saying. 

Luckily David and Paul had taken some time, out of boredom, to teach her how to be a better liar. A.R.G.U.S agents knew how to obscure the truth. And there was very little thought between her brain and her mouth as she explained, “he’s not my  _real_ brother. Did I say brother? He’s more like a cousin. Like a distant cousin who I hardly ever see and I mean, I barely even know him. Whatever makes this not weird.” Or...maybe David and Paul weren’t the best teachers.

Audrey just gaped at them, a handful of cash in one hand. “Oh...kay?”

“Never mind. Forget it. I have to go. We have to go. Please erase the last three minutes from your memory. See you Wednesday! Bye!”

“Bye...” Audrey waved, a look of shock and discomfort on her face as Felicity dragged Oliver out of the cafe.

They walked silently to her car, while Oliver held up an umbrella over their heads, his other hand resting on the small of her back, heat radiating from his palm and through her jacket. His mouth twitched with a smile, trying not to laugh as he clearly found amusement in her conversation with Audrey.

The last few nights had been rough. He’d offered to sleep on the couch and she had let him, which lead to sleepless nights for both of them...knowing that he was just down the hall, within reach. It kept her up most of the night. Still, it made her feel safe. 

Paul and David were great agents, probably hand-picked by Lyla Michaels herself. But the walls of their house in Hope Springs had never felt more secure than knowing that Oliver Queen was there, protecting them.

It helped that William strongly shared the sentiment, bringing tears to her eyes when she’d seen the relief in the young boy’s whole demeanor as he realized that his father was home.

“I’ll drive.” Oliver said gently as they approached her car, holding his hand out for the keys. Felicity stopped, glancing from his open palm to his face, her eyes narrowing. Luckily for him, he recognized her hesitation quickly. He stepped from one foot to the other, “I mean, is it okay if-do you mind if-” Oliver huffed, clearing his throat before trying again. “Would you like me to drive? I know you hate driving in storms.”

Felicity nodded once, holding out the keys for him, and Oliver let his fingers smooth over hers as he took them. His smile was soft, genuine, and exactly the thing that made her heart lurch into her throat. “Thank you,” he breathed, his shoulders relaxing as he opened the door for her.

Once in the car, Oliver started the engine and blasted the heat before pulling out of the parking lot slowly. He took his time getting home, making a five minute drive into a ten minute one, but she really didn’t mind. “So,” he whispered once they were warmer, “are we all set for tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” she let out a deep breath, trying to shake the knot in her stomach. It wasn’t a real date, yet it still didn’t feel right to her, thinking about having to dress up and meet Ben at a fancy restaurant. Sitting across from him at a table while they made small talk and she pretended to laugh at his jokes.

“What time are you meeting him?” Oliver asked, keeping his eyes focused on the road, the rain pouring down on the windshield. She turned to look at his profile, wondering why his face looked perfectly relaxed but his voice held a hint of jealously.

“Eight,” she whispered.

Her husband nodded, carefully turning onto their street. If she didn’t know him so well, she might have missed the little twitch at the corner of his mouth, his jaw tightening before he smoothed his features again, not giving anything away.

As Oliver pulled into the driveway, Felicity stared at him, not moving to get out. He turned the car off, leaving them with the sound of the rain. And then he slowly dropped his head onto the back of his seat, letting his hands slip off the wheel.

Closing his eyes, Oliver didn’t make a move to go inside the house, either. “Are you okay with this? Me. Going on a date. Not that it’s really a real date. But there will probably be food and sitting and small talk. In a fancy restaurant. With someone that’s not you.” She huffed into the quiet moment, thinking that everything she’d said sounded completely awful.

Oliver opened his eyes, slowly turning his head to look at her. “No. I’m not. I wouldn’t be a very good husband if this didn’t  _bother_ me, Felicity. But it’s your call, and I meant what I said the other night. I’m following your lead here.”

Nodding, Felicity took a deep breath in. “Can’t say I’m really used to that,” she smiled gently as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I mean, if you’re not calling the shots, Dig’s doing it. Or Sara, or Quentin, or Dinah, or Lyla...”

Oliver shook his head, “is that really how you’ve seen things for the past seven years?” Felicity just raised an eyebrow as if it was obvious, making him laugh under his breath. “Felicity,” Oliver sighed, “your judgement, your intelligence...I’ve relied on you more than I think you realize. I don’t feel right unless I know that you’re on the same page, supporting me. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without you.” He let out a deep breath, watching the rain fall onto the windshield in front of him. “I still can’t.”

Felicity tried to control her racing heart, the pull she felt to just give in and wrap herself around him, gripping her hands together to stop herself from climbing into his seat and reminding him why they were good together. In every sense. “Thank you for saying that,” she whispered back, barely audible through the rain, but he heard it, meeting her eyes and giving her a small nod.

“I’m a better man because of your love, Felicity. Receiving it and...and getting to love you back just as wholeheartedly, it’s healed me in every way that matters. But being The Green Arrow...the journey it took for me to feel like a  _hero_ , to feel like I could save people and be a beacon of light...that was all you, too.” He reached over to her face, brushing his fingers through her wet hair, tucking it behind her ear.

Felicity licked her lips, her eyes automatically closing as the heat from his palm radiated to her cheek. He didn’t take his hand away, his thumb skimming over her temple. “We should go inside,” she finally breathed.

Opening her eyes, she found Oliver staring. He nodded slowly, “yeah,”

Without a word, Felicity tilted her face into his cupped hand, pressing a gentle, subtle kiss to the inside of his wrist. And then she pulled back, unbuckling her seat-belt and throwing the car door open. 

She ran through the rain, making it to the porch with Oliver right behind her. He pulled out her keys, unlocking the front door and guiding her inside.

She giggled as he wiped the rain off of his face, each of them taking off their shoes and doing their best to be quiet. “Hold on,” Felicity whispered, “I’ll uh...I’ll get us some towels.” She hopped across the floorboards, finding two bath towels from the dryer and heading back, tossing one towards him.

“Thanks,” he said lowly, drying off.

“No problem,” she smiled at him, at his rain-soaked beard, and it felt real. A genuine smile. By the look on Oliver’s face, he knew it, too. She could see the question in his eyes. The hope. “Uh...” Felicity lifted her towel, “I’m going to grab a shower and head to bed. Um, I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”

Oliver nodded, only looking  _slightly_ disappointed. She knew that banishing him to the couch was probably cruel after he’d spent months in prison. The man might not deserve bed  _activities_ , but he at least deserved a bed. Yet he hadn’t made her feel guilty about the distance she was creating by shutting her bedroom door every night. 

Felicity turned on her heel, catching his eye as he was just letting his shoulders slump, heading for the living room. He straightened when he noticed that he had her attention again. “Or...” Oliver raised his eyebrows, shifting on his feet. “I mean, I could take the couch.” She mumbled.

It took him a moment to realize what she was suggesting. And he shook his head. “I’m fine here, Felicity.”

“You should be sleeping in a real bed.”

“I should be sleeping with my wife,” he whispered under his breath, his eyes widening as soon as the words were out. She stared at him, her back stiffening. And he read the posture perfectly. Oliver shook his head, “Felicity, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I  _should_ be sleeping with you, when you’re ready. I don’t care about a bed. The couch is fine, I promise. All I care about is...” Oliver lifted his shoulders, not used to trying so hard to explain himself, but pushing through, “getting you back.”

She watched him for a long moment before nodding. “Let’s um, let’s get some sleep before this all goes down tomorrow, okay? We can talk more once we have Diaz, or before you have to go back to jail, or whichever comes first.”

“Yeah. Yeah, okay. Goodnight, Felicity. I love you.”

“Goodnight, Oliver.” She didn’t miss the hopeful expression in his eyes, and it hurt that he was so desperate to hear her next words. That she hadn’t even given him this. The truth. “I love you, too.”

* * *

 

“Can you hear me?” Felicity hissed as she walked into the restaurant. 

Oliver sighed into her ear, “yes, honey. Please take your hand away from your ear, you look like you’re talking to yourself.” She smirked at the amusement in his tone. And then her smile turned into a full, beaming grin when he said sweetly, “but you look beautiful.”

He’d driven her to Tipitina’s, watching her walk into the restaurant from the car. She knew he was anxious about it. Not just the fact that she was going on a fake date. He was worried about her safety, and he hated not being in control.

 But he kept his promise and followed her lead anyway.

Felicity spent the majority of her date listening to Oliver mumble under his breath about how Ben was trying too hard. He muttered insults at every attempt Ben made to flirt with her. And Felicity could picture him sitting in the car behind the restaurant, fidgeting with the radio as he grumbled more to himself than to her.

It surprised her how badly her body ached to be in that car with him rather than sharing a perfectly fine dinner with a perfectly fine man. When given a choice, she would always choose Oliver. Always had and always would.

Her eyes snapped up to Ben when the words ‘detective for the FBI’ processed in her mind, pulling her from her thoughts. Oliver stopped in the middle of a sentence, criticizing the way Ben chewed.

Ben hesitated as she stared at him with wide eyes. And then he laughed. “What? You don’t have a criminal record, do you? Not that it’d matter,” he shrugged, carrying on the conversation she’d zoned out of. “I left a year ago. My supervisor thought that I was a little too involved with my work. She felt that I had a hard time finding the line between personal and professional.”

“What happened?” Felicity breathed, pushing even though she knew that it would make Ben uncomfortable.

He put his fork down and then slowly leaned forward. It was clear that he didn’t want to talk about it. “I joined the FBI straight out of college. It was the only way I knew how to get what I wanted. I had an intention for law enforcement ever since I was a kid. It was always the plan.”

Felicity cocked her head to the side, “why is that?”

“My mother was killed.” Ben shifted in his chair.

“I’m sorry,” she faltered. When Ben just shook his head, glancing down to his hands in his lap, Felicity pushed more, making Oliver growl in her ear. “So, you wanted to grow up and catch bad guys because you needed to stop that from happening to anyone else?” She guessed.

“That would be honorable.” Ben looked up at her, his eyes hardening with suspicion, but she was too far in to quit now. After months of watching him work at the coffee shop and trying to find a reason to press him about his research, he was finally talking. And she wouldn’t drop it now.

“But it wouldn’t be the truth?” Felicity whispered, watching him with curiosity. She did her best to look intrigued rather than desperate.

“No,” Ben mumbled back. “I didn’t join the bureau just to catch bad guys, Donna.” He hesitated. “I’ve been after the man who killed my mother since I was old enough to manage my way around a computer. Since I was old enough to understand...to want revenge.”

“Did you ever find him?”

Ben shook his head, his eyes flickering towards the window, where she knew the motel was in view across the street. She purposely didn’t acknowledge it, pretending not to notice. “I’m still looking,” he mumbled.

“You are?” Felicity raised an eyebrow, trying to feign surprise. Dig was right, this guy was paranoid and for good reason, but Felicity knew that if he smelled her eagerness, he’d bolt. Ben nodded, his eyes moving to the motel again. “And...you’re not with the FBI anymore...because you became absorbed in all of this?”

“My supervisor thought so,” Ben rolled his eyes. “But Watson didn’t know what the hell she was talking about.”

Felicity froze, her fork stilling in the air where she’d been pushing the tomatoes around in her salad. “Watson? You worked for Agent Watson?” Her eyes widened. 

“Felicity,” Oliver warned, his voice sharp. On edge.

“You know Samanda Watson?” Ben’s eyes watched her with trained suspicion, an expression she had yet to see. It was the opposite of the nerdy, air-headed, self-proclaimed surfer. She tried to smile, a forced chuckle coming out as she squirmed.

“Felicity,” Oliver said lowly, his voice full of tension that made her even more nervous. If her husband was getting worried, then so was she. “Get out of there. Something’s not right, I can just...this doesn’t feel...”

“What?” she breathed, more to Oliver than to Ben, but her date leaned back in his chair, raising his eyebrows as he exhaled. “You know agent Watson, which means...your name’s not Donna, is it?” Ben scraped his hand over his face, “you really are Felicity Smoak.”

“Felicity, get up,” Oliver ordered, sounding much more like the authoritative leader of their team. “Get up and walk out. Now.  _Please_.” 

She didn’t move, staring across the table. “How did you know that?”

“I caught wind that The Longbow Hunters had joined forces with a man named Ricardo Diaz. That lead me to read up on Star City. I only skimmed, I didn’t care much for Diaz’s past. I was just hoping he could lead me to my mother’s killer. But I thought you looked a bit like Felicity Smoak. I just never thought it was possible that the sweet girl that’s been serving me coffee for months could be the wife of The Green Arrow.” He let out a breath of surprise, shaking his head. “I guess life doesn’t have this many coincidences though. I’ll be damned.”

Ben’s eyes narrowed at her, putting the last pieces of the puzzle together, “how did you find me? Does Oliver Queen know you’re involved in this?”

At the mention of Oliver’s name, Felicity took her husband’s advice, realizing that the longer she sat there with Ben, the larger the target on her back became. And it wasn’t just her back anymore. It was his. And William’s. “I have to go,” she mumbled as she stood up.

“Eh,” Ben stopped her, gesturing down to his lap. “I wouldn’t move if I were you. I haven’t used a gun in a very long time, please don’t make me use it now. I really don’t want to.”

Felicity sat back down as she heard a string of curses in her ear, along with the sound of Oliver’s hands slamming against the steering wheel a few times. She closed her eyes, feeling like this was all her fault. It was her plan. She’d pushed it when Oliver and John had both disagreed. They’d followed her lead. And now the whole thing was going up in flames.

“Stand up, but don’t take another step.” Ben ordered.

Oliver’s low growl in her ear was all the strength she needed, letting her know that he was coming. She got to her feet, standing beside her chair and watching as Ben stood up. She barely had a chance to see the gun as he stepped behind her and pressed it into her back, but at least she knew he wasn’t playing around. “All right, let’s go.”

“Where are we going?” She asked.

“The roof. I have to show you something.” 

Felicity nodded, knowing that Oliver would hear it. Ben guided her to the back door, and her eyes immediately scanned the parking lot for Oliver. Her car was empty, and she knew that he was around somewhere, hiding in the shadows and waiting for the right moment to save her, one that wouldn’t end up in stray bullets and blood.

“Up, please.” Ben pushed her to the fire escape, leading up to the roof. As she put her hands on the rungs, she spotted Oliver, stepping out from behind a car. She wasn’t sure what compelled her, but she shook her head at him. “Wait,” she whispered, low enough for only him to hear.

The gun wasn’t pressed to her back anymore, and Oliver was about to take advantage of that. But she could hear Ben climbing behind her, and she knew they had to play this out. If it were Oliver, or Dig, or anyone else on the team in this position, they would.

Oliver disappeared again, slipping behind another row of cars. His features were hard, focused on his next move. And she was surprised that he’d listened. She trusted that her husband wouldn’t be far behind, if he wasn’t already on the roof by the time she finished climbing the ladder from hell.

Heights freaked out. Shaky ladders freaked her out. Her legs were like jello as she climbed, but Ben pressed his hand to her calf, keeping her on track. Which would be nice if she couldn’t also feel the cool metal of the gun in his hand whenever he had to steady her. 

For some reason, her brain chose to picture Oliver, waiting at the top for her with a margarita ready and a congratulatory kiss, as if the thing was Mount Everest. It was a silly distraction, but it made her laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Ben asked from below her.

“Nothing.”

“Keep climbing, Don- _Felicity_.”

“I’m sorry that I lied to you, Ben.” She forced sincerity. Because there wasn’t a bone in her body that regretted not telling him the truth. “After everything I’ve seen, I didn’t know if I could trust you or not. Just like how you didn’t tell me about your mom or her death, or the work you’ve been doing.” All the talking and climbing was making her breathless. “But we want the same thing here, okay? I promise. I want to see the hunters, especially the one who killed your mother...I want to see them suffer.”

Felicity internally cheered as she finally reached the top, ungracefully swinging her leg over the side and climbing onto the roof. “That’s the honest truth.” She said, backing up as Ben stood in front of her, the gun hanging from his hand. He wasn’t pointing it at her, so that was a good sign. “I want that man to pay for what he did. And I want Ricardo Diaz to pay. We can help each other here.”

Ben’s eyebrows furrowed, “why should I trust you?”

“Because I’m not a bad person. You  _know_ I’m not.”

“Come here,” Ben mumbled, gesturing to the ledge, “I want to show you something.”

She knew that Oliver must be close, otherwise he’d be telling her to  _not_ do that, but she stepped closer to Ben. When she reached the waist-high wall, Ben leaned over it, pointing to the motel. “In three minutes, the man who killed my mother is going to walk out of that building.”

Her eyes glanced from him to the door, “Ben...” she paused, wanting to tell him what he should know. That one of the hunters could be his father, as John had suggested. But she didn’t feel too great about dropping a bomb like that on a guy holding a gun. One he apparently was out of practice with. “I want to help you.”

“I don’t need your help, Donna. I’ve been sitting in that restaurant, every night, for months. Watching him. Just waiting until I had the courage to come up here and do what needs to be done. At 10:35, he leaves the motel....and I’m going to kill him.”

“What? Ben, no. Where does he go at 10:35 every night?”

“Don’t know. Don’t care.”

“There are better ways to get justice.” She seethed. Her heart was hammering in her chest, wondering if the hunter would lead them to Diaz. That definitely wouldn’t happen if Ben put a bullet in his head...

“I don’t want justice.” His eyes glanced to hers, and she could see a darkness in him that reminded her of Oliver when they’d first met. “I want revenge.”

“Let me help you,” Felicity pleaded, reaching out to rest her hand on his arm. There had been humanity in Oliver, even back then. And she knew that there was some left in Ben, too. His eyes shifted from her hand and back up to her. And the next thing she knew, he was flipping her around, grabbing both of her hands and pinning them behind her back. As she spun, she caught sight of Oliver, moving across the roof from the shadows.

Feeling Ben tying her wrists with a piece of rope, she shook her head at Oliver. Again. He cocked his head to the side, murder behind his eyes as he went against his own instincts. But still he stopped. 

Ben nudged her to sit, her back against the brick wall and her arms uncomfortably contorted behind her. “Just listen to me...”

Watching as Ben leaned against the wall beside her, Felicity wiggled. He aimed his gun at the motel’s front door, and she felt panic rising in her chest. He cocked the gun, squinting as he focused, waiting for his target. “Ben, Watson knows something that she never told you. About The Longbow Hunters. About the man who killed your mom.” She shifted around, trying to look up at him and get him to focus on her instead.

She saw his eyes flicker, trying not to let her distract him since he planned on pulling that trigger in less than two minutes. “What?” He didn’t take his eyes from the door or move the gun at all.

“The man you’re about to kill...Watson seems to believe that he’s your father.”

Ben’s eyes darted down to her, “no.”

“I only know what you’ve found out in the last few months. But you’ve been following him around the world for years, Ben. You know all about him. Just stop and think before you pull that trigger. Is it  _possible_?”

She could see the wheels turning in his head, the gun still aimed and ready, but his attention was somewhere else. Ben started shaking his head, but his eyes filled with tears. And whether the hunter was Ben’s dad or not, the doubt was alive. His hesitation was all she really needed. 

In one move, Felicity freed herself from the rope, jumping to her feet and hitting the gun out of his hands. She crouched down, kicking her leg out and knocking him off his feet. She picked the gun up off the ground just as Ben was landing on his back. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Oliver running towards her, but she focused on Ben. “I don’t want to hurt you,” she repeated his words sarcastically, aiming to gun at his chest. “So stay down.”

Oliver reached her and immediately brought his elbow down on Ben’s face, knocking him unconscious and making it irrelevant whether or not Ben would try to get up and fight back. Her husband stood up as she stopped aiming the gun, his eyes wide. “Where the hell did you learn that!?”

“John’s been showing me some things!” She screeched, her adrenaline racing because John had used training as a distraction. Letting her blow off steam for the last five months by taking her through self-defense strategies. And she’d finally had a reason to use the lessons.

“Holy shit, Felicity.” Oliver breathed, still staring at her as she unloaded the gun and held out the clip for him. John Diggle didn’t mess around when he’d also taught her to know her way around a gun. 

Without Oliver, she’d wanted to learn. Never feeling more vulnerable than in those months. “Come on, let’s get him back to the house.”

* * *

 

“I thought you’d be here sooner,” Felicity demanded as soon as she opened the door.

John shot her an annoyed glare, pushing into the house. “Well, you said there’s a man tied up in the basement, and I thought I should probably drop William at our house with Lyla before I came.”

“Right,” she nodded, swinging the door shut. “Probably a good idea.”

They walked slowly from the front door to the basement, Felicity explaining everything in a quiet, rushed voice. John nodded along, stopping with his hand on the doorknob. “But the hunter is alive. So, we can follow him.”

Felicity pursed her lips, “yes. I’m just not sure what to do with Ben. He’ll kill him the first chance he gets. And he knows who we are. We can’t just let him  _go_...but we can’t exactly keep a prisoner in our basement. Because that’s creepy as hell and I would never sleep again.”

“Is he awake yet?” John asked.

“No,” she shook her head. “Oliver’s keeping an eye on him. He’s not going to work with us, John. He didn’t care that the hunter could be his father. Ben’s been planning this murder since he was a teenager. I don’t think he’ll do this our way.”

Before John could answer, the doorbell rang. Putting his arm out, John guided Felicity behind him. “You expecting anyone else?”

“Nope,” she whispered, both of them watching the door.

“Stay here.”

The doorbell rang again, and John silently made his way into the living room. She heard him rustling around, and then he came back into the hallway with a fire poker in his hand. He glanced over to her and then back at the door, holding the weapon in one hand while he reached to open the door with the other.

She hadn’t heard Oliver come up from the basement, but she could feel him behind her before she felt his hand on her shoulder. 

Diggle opened the door, keeping the fire poker hidden behind it in case he needed to use it. Felicity held her breath as they all stared at Samanda Watson. 

The woman crossed her arms, her eyes moving between the three of them like a disgruntled teacher catching her students doing something they shouldn’t be doing. “Ms. Smoak,” Watson said as they all stood frozen. “May I come in?”

To her credit, she waited for a response. But Felicity just gaped, and after a moment too long, Watson rolled her eyes and gestured for John to get out of her way. With a deep sigh, he listened, letting her into the house. “I know Ben Ballard is here. I came to make a deal.”

“Your track record for that isn’t exactly fair,” Felicity clipped. 

Watson narrowed her eyes, “your husband agreed to turn himself in if I  _helped_ him catch Ricardo Diaz. The outcome of that operation was never mentioned in our discussion. I kept good on my word.”

“Sounds like the kind of loophole the devil might call fair,” she grumbled back. Oliver’s hand tightened on her shoulder, asking her to stop. And she stiffened, wiggling out from under his hand. Watson had a point. Oliver exchanged his freedom for the simple  _effort_ of the FBI, not the results. 

And Diaz had ended up escaping. 

It was hard not to blame him for that. For putting their family in a position where she felt helpless. 

She wasn’t helpless.

She never had been. But now she had five months of training so that she could keep herself and William safe. With some help from John and Lyla, Felicity felt better about her ability to protect her step-son. Yet, it didn’t change the fact that  _Oliver_ had put her in such a vulnerable position.

“I know you don’t like me, Ms. Smoak.” Watson said, watching her from across the hall, keeping her distance which they all knew was in everyone’s best interest. “But I always thought that the law was black and white. Innocent or guilty. And I spent a lot of time viewing your husband as a criminal. I came here to tell you that things change. My opinion has changed. The night we tried to take down Diaz, The Green Arrow stopped being a mask and a story to me. I saw the good you all were trying to do. When you didn’t need to. It wasn’t your responsibility to keep Star City safe. You each  _chose_ to do it. You saw a system that was failing its people, and you stood up.”

“What?” Felicity replied sarcastically, “so now you’ve suddenly had a change of heart?”

Watson grinned with irritating superiority. “I knew it was only a matter of time before Oliver Queen got himself out of that prison. Granted, I didn’t think it’d take five months, but...I knew the  _exact_ moment him and Spartan over here busted out of Slabside.” She spoke to Felicity, not bothering to even glance and John or Oliver. “I didn’t stop them. I let him come home to you. I let the three of you try to take down The Longbow Hunters on your own. Now its time to work with me. Where’s Ballard?”

Felicity cocked her head to the side, taking a step towards Watson, but Oliver’s grip tightened again, holding her back with a quiet ‘ _please_ ’ whispered near her ear. He’d seen her in enough danger for one night.

“What are you suggesting?” John asked.

Finally acknowledging him, Watson smiled. “You all know how long Ben Ballard has been hunting those damn hunters. I brought him onto my team because I thought that I could use him. Ten years ago, I was assigned a case. Murders all across the country. Gruesome deaths...” her eyes shifted to Oliver, looking guilty. “People being slaughtered with arrows. But I was never able to solve it.”

Felicity froze, glancing up at Oliver before she turned a hard glare to Watson. The pieces finally fit. “Your obsession with Oliver...it had nothing to do with him. It was about your failure.” Her eyebrows furrowed, shaking her head. “You couldn’t stop The Longbow Hunters. So ten years later, you hear about a vigilante using the same weapon...”

“And I worked my ass off to get him behind bars. Let’s not pretend that your husband doesn’t have blood on his hands here, or that he didn’t deserve what I brought down on him...but yes. There were similarities that I latched on to,” she admitted, looking away. “But now I have a real shot at these guys. The Longbow Hunters have been around for decades. Fathers raising sons to be killers. Ben’s work has finally led me where I needed it to. And I need the three of you to do what you do best. Diaz and the hunters...They don’t fit into the black and white boxes of crime. They work in the gray. And I need people on the other side of that who fight in the gray. I need the three of you to help me stop them.”

“And then what?” Felicity whispered.

Watson stared at her, “and then your husband will have his freedom back.  _If_ I see cuffs on all of The Longbow Hunters.”

“Why should we believe you?” Oliver finally spoke.

“I’ll put it in writing if you want, Mr. Queen. I’ll stamp it with a nice United States promise from the government. Lyla Michaels can attest to it. You have my word. I’ve changed my mind about you...I think that you can do more good out here than you can back at Slabside. Sometimes law enforcement fails...and maybe people need heroes to pick up the pieces.”

They all stared at Watson, and she nodded, letting her words sink in. “You have two weeks to consider my offer. And then I want you all to get to work.”


End file.
